High sugar warnings on menus in NYC

NEW YORK - New York City chain restaurants are already required to indicate high salt levels. Soon they could be required to warn customers about high sugar content in menu items.

The city council voted 43-5 on Wednesday to require warning notices next to menu items and on signs for items that contain high amounts of added sugar.  The bill now goes to the mayor for his signature.

Council Member Mark Levine of Manhattan first introduced the legislation in 2019.

The legislation forces the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to craft an added sugar icon and a warning statement about high added sugars intake.  The symbol would then be added to restaurant menus and signs.

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Some independent studies claim that some fast food meals contain more than two days worth of sugar.

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men.

The law would cover "added sugar", meaning sugars and syrups put into foods during preparation or processing.

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Any chain restaurant with 15 or more locations in the city would be covered by the rule.  The law would impose fines from $200-$500 on restaurants that violate the proposed law.

The health department would be tasked with educating restaurants about the requirements of the law.

It was not immediately known if Mayor Bill de Blasio would sign the bill into law.  The legislation was among a slew of bills that the council passed at its last meeting of the year.  For several of them, it was their last meeting as members of the council.  New representatives will be sworn into office at the start of 2022.

Levine will be the next Manhattan borough president.